Implantable biologic holder

ABSTRACT

A tissue graft suspension device includes a platform member, a graft connecting element coupled to the platform member such that a portion of the graft connecting element forms a loop for attachment to a tissue graft, and an enclosure member coupled to the loop of the graft connecting element and configured to enclose a biologic material. The enclosure member defines an opening configured to receive the biologic material. The graft connecting element and the enclosure member are configured such that, during use, the tissue graft is coupled to the loop and in contact with the enclosure member.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This document relates to an implantable biologic holder.

BACKGROUND

A ligament, such as an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), that hasruptured and is non-repairable may be replaced arthroscopically by atissue graft. The tissue graft can be natural and harvested from anotherpart of the body. For example, in the case of an ACL repair, the tissuegraft can be harvested from a portion of a patellar tendon having socalled “bone blocks” at each end, and from the semitendonosis andgracilis. Alternatively, the tissue graft can be formed from syntheticmaterials or from a combination of synthetic and natural materials. Whenrepairing an ACL, the replacement tissue graft can be implanted bysecuring one end of the tissue graft in a socket formed in a passagewithin the femur, and passing the other end of the graft through apassage formed in the tibia.

A biologic material, such as a fibrin clot, can be inserted into aligament or other soft tissue injury site, for example via a cannula, orattached directly to a tissue graft, for example by suturing, to promotehealing. The application of a biologic material to an injury site canhelp promote healing.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect, a tissue graft suspension device includes aplatform member, a graft connecting element coupled to the platformmember such that a portion of the graft connecting element forms a loopfor attachment to a tissue graft, and an enclosure member coupled to theloop of the graft connecting element and configured to enclose abiologic material. The enclosure member defines an opening configured toreceive the biologic material. The graft connecting element and theenclosure member are configured such that, during use, the tissue graftis coupled to the loop and in contact with the enclosure member.

Implementations of this aspect may include one or more of the followingfeatures.

For example, the graft connecting element may be a continuous loop ofsuture. The loop may pass through the opening of the enclosure member.The loop may pass through an attachment element of the enclosure member.The enclosure member may define two openings configured to receive thebiologic material. The biologic material may be a fibrin clot. Thebiologic material may be a platelet rich plasma. The tissue graftsuspension device may further include one or more filaments attached tothe enclosure member.

According to another aspect, a method of securing a tissue graftincludes providing a platform member coupled to a graft connectingelement, the graft connecting element being coupled to an enclosuremember and forming a loop for attachment to the tissue graft, theenclosure member configured to enclose a biologic material, insertingthe biologic material through an opening in the enclosure member,attaching the tissue graft to the graft connecting element such that thetissue graft is in contact with the enclosure member, forming a bonetunnel in a bone, and positioning the platform member on a surface ofthe bone such that at least a portion of the tissue graft is in the bonetunnel.

Implementations of this aspect may include one or more of the followingfeatures.

For example, attaching the tissue graft to the graft connecting elementmay include looping the tissue graft through the loop of the graftconnecting element such that the enclosure member is positioned betweentwo portions of the tissue graft. Attaching the tissue graft to thegraft connecting element may include looping the graft connectingelement through an opening in a bone block of the tissue graft. The bonetunnel may include a first opening and a second opening. Positioning theplatform member on the surface of the bone may include inserting theplatform member into the bone tunnel through the first opening and intothe bone tunnel, moving the platform member through the tunnel and outthe second opening, and positioning the platform member over the secondopening with the graft connecting element extending into the bone tunnelsuch that a first portion of the tissue graft attached to the graftconnecting element is in the tunnel and a second portion of the tissuegraft extends out of the first opening.

According to yet another aspect, a scaffold for receiving a biologicmaterial includes a central portion impregnated with a biologicmaterial, the central portion comprising filaments arranged in a weavepattern, and a guide portion attached to an edge of the central portion,the guide portion comprising one or more filaments. The scaffold isconfigured to be inserted into a tear in soft tissue.

Implementations of this aspect may include one or more of the followingfeatures.

For example, the tear in soft tissue may be a meniscal tear. The guideportion may include a first guide portion attached to a first edge ofthe central portion, and a second guide portion attached to a secondedge of the central portion, the second edge being opposite the firstedge. The guide portion may include one or more filaments extending outfrom the weave pattern of the central portion.

According to a further aspect, a method of repairing a soft tissue tearincludes providing a scaffold comprising a central portion and a guideportion, the central portion comprising filaments arranged in a weavepattern, impregnating the central portion of the scaffold with abiologic material, inserting an edge of the scaffold into the softtissue tear, and moving the central portion of the scaffold within thesoft tissue tear into a final position by manipulating the guideportion.

Implementations of this aspect may include one or more of the followingfeatures.

For example, the soft tissue may be a meniscus. Impregnating the centralportion of the scaffold with a biologic material may include forming atleast one of a fibrin clot or a platelet rich plasma around the centralportion. Impregnating the central portion of the scaffold may includepressing the central portion into at least one of a fibrin clot or aplatelet rich plasma.

The details of one or more implementations are set forth in theaccompanying drawings and the description below. Other features,aspects, and advantages will become apparent from the description, thedrawings, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a graft attachment device implantedwithin a femur.

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of an alternative implantation of thegraft attachment device within the femur.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the graft attachment device.

FIGS. 3A-3B are perspective views of the graft attachment device coupledto a tissue graft.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative graft attachment devicecoupled to an alternative tissue graft.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a suture scaffold implanted within a meniscaltear.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the suture scaffold.

FIG. 7A is a perspective view of the suture scaffold implanted withinthe meniscal tear.

FIG. 7B is another top view of the suture scaffold implanted within themeniscal tear.

FIG. 7C is a cross-sectional perspective view of the suture scaffold ofFIG. 7B taken along the line 7C-7C.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This document describes examples of an implantable enclosure member andan implantable scaffold that can hold a biologic material, for example afibrin clot, and be positioned within a ligament or other soft tissuerepair site such that the biologic material comes in contact with theligament or other soft tissue.

Referring to FIG. 1A, a graft attachment device 10 is implanted during,for example, an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair andreconstruction procedure, and is positioned within a femoral tunnel 12 aof a femur 14. In some cases, the graft attachment device 10 can bepositioned within a shorter femoral tunnel 12 b (FIG. 1B). The graftattachment device 10 includes a platform member 16, a graft connectingelement 18, and an enclosure member 20, and can be coupled to a tissuegraft 22, for example a semitendonosis and gracilis graft. The femoraltunnel 12 a, 12 b can receive one end of the graft 22 while a tibialtunnel 24 located within a tibia 26 can receive the other end.

Referring also to FIG. 2, the enclosure member 20 of the graftattachment device 10 is generally a sac-like structure that can be madefrom a braided or woven mesh of suture material, such as #5 Ultrabraidsuture, a natural material, such as collagen, or a combination thereof.The enclosure member 20 has two openings 28 a, 28 b positioned onopposite portions of the enclosure member 20. The openings 28 a, 28 bcan allow the enclosure member 20 to receive and hold a biologicmaterial 30 as discussed further below. Alternatively, the enclosuremember can have a single opening, more than two openings, or noopenings. A plurality of filaments, threads, sutures, or the like can beattached to portions of the enclosure member 20 to help, for example,couple the enclosure member 20 to other parts of the graft attachmentdevice 10 or the tissue graft 22. In some cases, the enclosure member 20can be a continuous band of suture material. Alternatively, theenclosure member 20 can be a scaffold-like structure configured to beimpregnated with the biologic material 30.

The graft connecting element 18 of the graft attachment device 10couples the tissue graft 22 (FIGS. 1A-1B) to the graft attachment device10 as discussed further below. As shown in FIG. 2, the graft connectingelement 18 can be a continuous loop of suture, such as #5 Ultrabraidsuture, or other material, such as polyester, that is looped throughopenings 28 a, 28 b of the enclosure member 20 and openings 32 of theplatform member 16 to couple the enclosure member 20 to the platformmember 16. Alternatively, or additionally, the graft connecting element18 can be coupled to the enclosure member 20 and the platform member 16via various filaments and other attachment elements (not shown).

The platform member 16 of the graft attachment device 10 can bepositioned on a cortical surface of the femur 14 (FIGS. 1A-1B) and helpssecure the graft attachment device 10 and the tissue graft 22 within thefemoral tunnel 12 a, 12 b. Various sutures can be looped through one ormore openings 32 of the platform member 16 and used by a surgeon to pullthe platform member 16 through the femoral tunnel 12 a, 12 b andposition the platform member 16 on the cortical surface of the femur 14as desired.

In addition to various filaments, threads, sutures, or the like, thegraft attachment device 10 can include components formed from anybiocompatible material or a combination of biocompatible materials, suchas certain metal alloys and polymers. Components of the graft attachmentdevice 10 can include non-absorbable materials such as PEEK or Acetal.Alternatively, or additionally, components of the graft attachmentdevice 10 can include bioabsorbable materials such as PLLA.

During surgery, a surgeon inserts the biologic material 30 into theenclosure member 20 via the opening 28 a, 28 b prior to attachment ofthe tissue graft 22. The biologic material 30 can be a fibrin clot orany other material that facilitates ligament or tissue repair. Forexample, the biologic material 30 can include any biocompatible materialor a combination of biocompatible materials such as, but not limited to,platelet rich plasma (PRP), hyaluronic acid (HA), growth factors (e.g.PDGF, FGF, BMP, GDF-5, and other members of the TGF-β superfamily),autologous tissue fragments, and pharmacologic agents (e.g.anti-inflammatory and/or analgesic). Alternatively, or additionally, thebiologic material 30 can be pressed into a surface of the enclosuremember 20 such that the biologic material 30 is formed around thesurface. The enclosure member 20 can be pre-attached to the graftattachment device 10 during manufacture. Alternatively, the enclosuremember 20 can be coupled to the graft attachment device 10 prior to orfollowing insertion of the biologic material 30 into the enclosuremember 20. In some cases, the surgeon can close the openings 28 a, 28 b,for example using sutures, to prevent the biologic material 30 fromcoming out of the enclosure member 20.

The biologic material 30 can help promote healing following surgery,such as ACL reconstruction. For example, the fibrin clot, a paste-likematerial typically prepared from a patient's blood, can enhance healingbetween graft bundles as well as between the graft bundles and bone byreleasing various growth factors and chemical substances that promotehealing.

Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, following insertion of the biologicmaterial 30 into the enclosure member 20, the surgeon can attach thetissue graft 22, which can comprise semitendinosus and gracilis graftsor two halves of a semitendinosus graft, to the graft attachment device10 by passing the graft 22 through the graft connecting element 18 anddoubling over to produce, for example, a quadrupled bundle. During theattachment process, the tissue graft 22 can be folded over the enclosuremember 20 such that the biologic material 30 contained within theenclosure member 20 comes in contact with an inner surface of thefolded-over tissue graft 22. In some cases, the enclosure member 20 canbe positioned proximate an outer surface of the folded-over tissue graft22.

Referring to FIG. 4, in some cases a tissue graft 34 having a bone block36 can be attached to a graft attachment device 38. The bone block 36 isgenerally shaped and sized in close conformity with the femoral tunnel12 a, 12 b to promote optimal healing. The tissue graft 34, for examplea patellar tendon graft, can be attached to the graft attachment device38 by looping a graft connection element 40 through an opening 42 in thebone block 36. During this process, the graft attachment device 38 canalso be looped through an attachment portion 44 of a enclosure member46. The biologic material 30 can be inserted into the enclosure member46 as described above. Following attachment of the tissue graft 34 andthe enclosure member 46 to the graft attachment device 38, the enclosuremember 46 is generally positioned below the bone block 36 and proximatea ligament portion of the tissue graft 34.

Prior to implanting the graft attachment devices 10, 38 and therespectively attached tissue grafts 22, 34, the femoral tunnel 12 a, 12b can be drilled from an intercondylar notch of the femur 14 towards thecortical surface of the femur 14. The tibial tunnel 24 can be drilledfrom an anterior region of the tibia 26 towards the intercondylar notch.

During implantation, the graft attachment device 10, 38, and theattached tissue graft 22, 34, respectively, can be positioned within thefemoral tunnel 12 a, 12 b using lead sutures (not shown) that can belooped through one or more openings 32 of the platform member 16. Forexample, the lead sutures are passed through the femoral tunnel 12 a, 12b from an opening near the intercondylar notch and used to pull thegraft attachment device 10, 38 through the femoral tunnel 12 a, 12 b andtowards an opening near the cortical surface of the femur 14. After theplatform member 16 exits the femoral tunnel 12 a, 12 b through theopening near the cortical surface, the lead sutures can be used to flipand position the platform member 16 so that the member 16 lies flatagainst the cortical surface of the femur 14 and at least a portion ofthe tissue graft 22, 34 is positioned within the femoral tunnel 12 a, 12b. A distal end of the attached tissue graft 22, 34 can extend out ofthe opening near the intercondylar notch.

In addition to promoting healing at a ligament injury site, such asfollowing an ACL reconstruction surgery, the biologic material 30 canhelp enhance healing at a soft tissue injury site, for example in ameniscal tissue repair. In a meniscal tear repair procedure, a fibrinclot or PRP, for example, can be inserted into a meniscal tear topromote healing, especially in meniscal regions of low vascularity suchas red-white and white-white regions of a meniscus.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, a suture scaffold 50 is designed to hold thebiologic material 30 and can be inserted into a tear 52 in a meniscus 54to promote healing. The suture scaffold 50 includes a central portion 56and one or more guide portions 58, 60 proximately attached to a borderor edge region of the central portion 56.

The central portion 56 of the suture scaffold 50 is configured to beimpregnated with the biologic material 30 so that the biologic material30 may be readily delivered and secured to the soft tissue injury siteduring surgery. For example, the central portion 56 can include aplurality of horizontally oriented sutures 62 and transversely orientedsutures 64 that are woven together to form a mesh surface. Thehorizontal and transverse sutures 62, 64 of the central portion 56 canbe arranged such that the resulting mesh is sufficiently sparse to allowa biologic material to be pushed at least partially through its surface,yet dense enough to hold the pushed-through biologic material in place.In some implementations, the sutures 62, 64 can have a rough surfacetexture, or other surface properties, that aids in holding thepushed-through biologic material in place. In use, the surgeon canimpregnate the central portion 56 with the biologic material 30, forexample a fibrin clot, by pressing the biologic material 30 into themesh surface of the central portion 56. Horizontal sutures 62 andtransverse sutures 64 of the central portion 56 hold the biologicmaterial 30 within the central portion 56 and can impart increasedstructural integrity to the biologic material 30 to aid in handling anddelivery of the material 30. Alternatively, or additionally, thebiologic material 30 can be chemically formed around the central portion56, for example through coagulation of fibrinogen by thrombin.

As shown in FIG. 6, one or more guide portions 58, 60 of the suturescaffold 50 are attached to an edge region of the central portion 56 andcan help position the central portion 56 and the impregnated biologicmaterial 30 at a desired location within the tear 52 (FIG. 5). Forexample, the guide portions 58, 60 can include one or more horizontalsutures 62 extending out from opposing ends of the woven mesh surface ofthe central portion 56. Alternatively, or additionally, the guideportions 58, 60 can include one or more transverse sutures 64 extendingout from opposing ends of the woven mesh surface of the central portion56. In some cases, the guide portions 58, 60 can be absorbable ornon-absorbable structures that are separately attached to one or moreedge regions of the central portion 56.

During a meniscal tear repair procedure, as shown in FIGS. 7A-7C, thesurgeon can implant the suture scaffold 50 and the impregnated biologicmaterial 30 into the tear 52. For example, the surgeon can guide aleading edge 66 (FIG. 7C) of the suture scaffold 50 into the tear 52until the suture scaffold 50 and the biologic material 30 are generallypositioned at an appropriate depth within the tear 52. Then, the surgeoncan move the central portion 56 and the impregnated biologic material 30to a final desired position within the tear 52 by pulling, pushing, andotherwise manipulating the guide portions 58, 60 until the desiredpositioning of the biologic material 30 is obtained. After the desiredpositioning of the biologic material 30 is obtained, the guide portions58, 60 can be removed, for example by cutting, or left in place. In somecases, the entire suture scaffold 50 can be removed, leaving only thebiologic material 30 in place within the meniscal tear 52. Implantationof the biologic material 30 into the meniscal tear 52 can be used withother meniscal tear repair procedures and tools to enhance healing atthe repair site.

While this document contains many specific implementation details, theseshould not be construed as limitations on the scope of anyimplementations or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions offeatures specific to particular implementations of particularimplementations. Certain features that are described in this document inthe context of separate implementations can also be implemented incombination in a single implementation. Conversely, various featuresthat are described in the context of a single implementation can also beimplemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitablesubcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above asacting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, oneor more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excisedfrom the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to asubcombination or variation of a subcombination. Thus, particularimplementations of the subject matter have been described. Otherimplementations are within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:
 1. A tissue graft suspension device, comprising: a platformmember; a loop element including a first looped end and a second loopedend, the first looped end coupled to the platform member, the secondlooped end configured to attach to a tissue graft; and, an enclosuremember comprising a sac-like mesh, the sac-like mesh is a looped band ofmesh material including an opening in which to insert a biologicmaterial, the opening of the looped band of mesh material extendingbetween a first end of the looped band to a second end of the loopedband, the second looped end of the loop element passing through theopening of the looped band of mesh material securing the looped band ofmesh material to the loop element, wherein the loop element and theenclosure member are configured such that, during use, the tissue graftis coupled to the second looped end of the loop element and in contactwith the enclosure member.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the loopelement is a continuous loop.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein thesecond loop end passes through the opening of the enclosure member. 4.The device of claim 1, wherein the second loop end of the loop elementpasses through an attachment element of the enclosure member.
 5. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein the enclosure member is a continuous loop ofmesh material, the continuous loop of mesh material, the second end ofthe graft connecting loop element passing through openings of thecontinuous loop of mesh material.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein thebiologic material is a fibrin clot.
 7. The device of claim 1, whereinthe biologic material is a platelet rich plasma.
 8. The device of claim1, further comprising one or more filaments attached to the enclosuremember.
 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the looped band of meshmaterial includes a first portion and a second portion, an inner surfaceof the looped band of mesh material at the first portion being incontact with the second looped end of the loop element.
 10. (The deviceof claim 9, wherein an inner surface of the looped band of mesh materialat the second end of the looped band retains the biologic material andreleases the biologic material to a medical site.
 11. The device ofclaim 10 further comprising: an attachment element coupled to the loopedband of mesh material, the attachment element securing the second end ofthe looped band of mesh material to the medical site.
 12. The device ofclaim 11, wherein the platform member includes a crossmember aroundwhich the first looped end of the loop element slidably passes.
 13. Thedevice of claim 12, wherein the sac-like mesh is a looped band of meshmaterial through which the second looped end of the loop element passes,the looped band of mesh material including a gradient of different sizedperforations to release the biologic material; and wherein the gradientof different sized perforations includes a first region of perforationsand a second region of perforations, the first region of perforationslocated nearer to the second loop end than the first region ofperforations, a size of perforations in the first region beingsubstantially smaller than a size of perforations in the second region.14. The device of claim 1, wherein the sac-like mesh is a looped band ofmesh material through which the second looped end of the loop elementpasses, the looped band of mesh material including multiple regions ofdifferent sized perforations to release the biologic material.
 15. Thedevice of claim 14, wherein the multiple regions of perforationsincludes a first region of perforations and a second region ofperforations, the first region of perforations being located nearer tothe second loop end than the first region of perforations, a size ofperforations in the first region being substantially smaller than a sizeof perforations in the second region.
 16. The device of claim 15,wherein a row of the first region of perforations resides along a firstaxis and a row of the second region of perforations resides along asecond axis; and wherein the row of the first region of perforations isparallel to the row of the second region of perforations.
 17. The deviceof claim 1, wherein the platform member includes a crossmember aroundwhich the first looped end of the loop element slidably passes.
 18. Thedevice of claim 17, wherein the sac-like mesh is a looped band of meshmaterial around which the second looped end of the loop element slidablypasses.
 19. The device of claim 1, wherein the tissue graft includes alooped end formed from folded portions of the tissue graft around thesecond looped end of the loop element; and wherein the enclosure memberresides in between the folded portions of the tissue graft.
 20. A methodof securing a tissue graft comprising: providing a platform membercoupled to a graft connecting element, providing a loop elementincluding a first looped end and a second looped end, the first loopedend coupled to the platform member, the second looped end configured toattach to a tissue graft; providing an enclosure member comprising asac-like mesh wherein the sac-like mesh is a looped band of meshmaterial including an opening in which to insert a biologic material,the opening of the looped band of mesh material extending between afirst end of the looped band to a second end of the looped band, thesecond looped end of the loop element passing through the opening of thelooped band of mesh material securing the looped band of mesh materialto the loop element; inserting the biologic material through the openingin the looped band of mesh material; attaching the tissue graft to thegraft connecting element such that the tissue graft is in contact withthe enclosure member; forming a bone tunnel in a bone; and, position theplatform member on a surface of the bone such that at least a portion ofthe tissue graft is in the bone tunnel.
 21. The method of claim 20,wherein the enclosure member is positioned between two portions of thetissue graft.
 22. The method of claim 20, wherein attaching the tissuegraft to the graft connecting element comprises looping the graftconnecting element through an opening in a bone block of the tissuegraft.
 23. The method of claim 20, wherein the hone tunnel includes afirst opening and a second opening and positioning the platform memberon the surface of the bone comprises: inserting the platform member intothe bone tunnel through the first opening and into the bone tunnel;moving the platform member through the tunnel, and out the secondopening; and positioning the platform member over the second openingwith the graft connecting element extending into the bone tunnel suchthat a first portion of the tissue graft attached to the graftconnecting element is in the tunnel and a second portion of the tissuegraft extends out of the first opening.
 24. The method of claim 20,wherein the opening for receiving the biologic material is a scaffold,said scaffold comprising: a central portion impregnated with thebiologic material, the central portion comprising filaments arranged ina weave pattern; and a guide portion attached to an edge of the centralportion, the guide portion comprising one or more filaments; wherein thescaffold is configured to be inserted into a tear in soft tissue.